Germany Launches Legal Action Against Facebook

[maxben]

If it bothers you so much don't make a facebook account, simple.

This is specifically about people who don't have an account but are having their information posted and stored anyways.

That's not exactly fair, since people can technically do that anywhere on the internet, be it Youtube, this forum, or whatever.

But Facebook's policy of saving such information, as well as the fact that it would be illegal for you to post someone's private information without their knowledge whether it be this forum or youtube while Facebook supports and encourages it (due to it essentially is), makes it different.

 

[Bloodstain]

Thanks to Bloodstain for the tip.

You're welcome.

Doesn't Europe have cameras on every freaking street corner?

None that I know of... *looks around suspiciously*

OT: Ah. I'm proud of my country, for the first time in months. Die, Facebook, die!

 

[Somethingfake]

"I also think there is a growing reaction in the US that we should beef up our privacy laws along the lines of those in Europe." What? Yanks following Europe's lead? Like that will happen.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Double thumbs up to Germany. Blitzkreig Facebook back to the Stoneage.

 

[squid5580]

"There are much stronger privacy laws in Europe than here, where privacy is viewed as a consumer protection issue as opposed to a fundamental human right,"


Doesn't Europe have cameras on every freaking street corner?

In a wide sweeping sentence you've asked if an entire continent has cameras on every street corner XD

Some countries maybe, but most of them no.

OT: For the first time in my life I agree with a government authority on something internet related.

What does the cameras have to do with anything? When you get caught on an ATM camera or a security camera in a store or anything like that it doesn't tell your name or favorite food. It is just a face on the screen. That is like saying I violate the privacy of every person I see walking down the street.

Go Germany!!!!

Although wouldn't the people uploading the photos and information be the ones responsible? Can't they just use the Pirate Bay defense?

 

[Sonicron]

Well whaddaya know? Apparently folks in my country know more than just how to kick a ball around.
Let loose the law dogs of war and rip Facebook to shreds! Destroy it, destroy it all!!!

 

[AzzA-D]

I'm rooting for Germany. I hate social networking crap, and refuse to be a part of it. I had a myspace page a while back, and that shit was just annoying. Everyone expected me to be constantly checking up on them. I deleted it, salted the earth, never looked back, and I'm happier without it. (Still kept my music page, but that's mainly just for backing up my songs, and for the rare occasion where I might wanna play one for someone but don't have any other access to it.)

My wife has a facebook page, but the way it's turned out, it's mostly just her family keeping tabs on her all the time, and old acquaintances from highschool she doesn't like anymore seeking her out and harassing her until she "friends" them. Of course, she can't get rid of it now, or she'll offend everyone (sounds great to me, but she's afraid of confrontation.. *sigh*).

The Onion did a bit on facebook that was hilariously spot-on: bored middle-aged housewives constantly spying on their college-aged kids. "See, ya click here, and you can see his photos.. who's that girl he's with?.. we just click on her, here's her facebook page.. says her name is so-and-so.. oh my, now look at *her* photos.. what a tramp. Not good enough for my boy.. I'll just send her a threatening message.." etc.

Tell ya what: if I wanna socialize with someone, I will fucking call them on the fucking phone. I don't give a damn what everyone's "status" is from moment to moment. By today's standards, I guess I'm a freakin' hermit, because I don't even have a cellphone. Why would I want to be reachable by everyone at every point? I don't even answer the landline phone unless I want to. Leave a message on the answering machine, and I will get back to you when I feel like it. When I was growing up, this was normal.

Why does everyone want to be constantly jacked-in to everyone else? Hate to break it it to ya, but people are not any more interesting than they ever were. It's like a grass-roots Big Brother initiative. And now people like me will have our privacy violated, just because we emailed someone who happened to sign up for facebook down the road? Some of my email "contacts" are definitely on there.. do I have to burn bridges with all of my friends and only hang out with other "resistance members" from now on? I hope Germany sticks it to 'em, and I hope they get worse coming to them down the line. Buncha attention-starved gossips with nothing real going on, I tells ya. Get off my lawn.

That was a beautiful read. Thank you.

 

[KDR_11k]

Doesn't Europe have cameras on every freaking street corner?

No, not at all. Maybe in the UK, they tend to have more of that kind of thing.

Not that it matters anyway ... what you do in the public space isn't private. You know, by definition.

In Germany privacy laws go as far as considering a violation of the freedom of expression and assembly (our equivalent to free speech) to be filmed during a demonstration.

 

[Darth_Dude]

"There are much stronger privacy laws in Europe than here, where privacy is viewed as a consumer protection issue as opposed to a fundamental human right,"


Doesn't Europe have cameras on every freaking street corner?

England has camera's on every street corner, not europe.

 

[YunikoYokai5]

I'm rooting for Germany. I hate social networking crap, and refuse to be a part of it. I had a myspace page a while back, and that shit was just annoying. Everyone expected me to be constantly checking up on them. I deleted it, salted the earth, never looked back, and I'm happier without it. (Still kept my music page, but that's mainly just for backing up my songs, and for the rare occasion where I might wanna play one for someone but don't have any other access to it.)

My wife has a facebook page, but the way it's turned out, it's mostly just her family keeping tabs on her all the time, and old acquaintances from highschool she doesn't like anymore seeking her out and harassing her until she "friends" them. Of course, she can't get rid of it now, or she'll offend everyone (sounds great to me, but she's afraid of confrontation.. *sigh*).

The Onion did a bit on facebook that was hilariously spot-on: bored middle-aged housewives constantly spying on their college-aged kids. "See, ya click here, and you can see his photos.. who's that girl he's with?.. we just click on her, here's her facebook page.. says her name is so-and-so.. oh my, now look at *her* photos.. what a tramp. Not good enough for my boy.. I'll just send her a threatening message.." etc.

Tell ya what: if I wanna socialize with someone, I will fucking call them on the fucking phone. I don't give a damn what everyone's "status" is from moment to moment. By today's standards, I guess I'm a freakin' hermit, because I don't even have a cellphone. Why would I want to be reachable by everyone at every point? I don't even answer the landline phone unless I want to. Leave a message on the answering machine, and I will get back to you when I feel like it. When I was growing up, this was normal.

Why does everyone want to be constantly jacked-in to everyone else? Hate to break it it to ya, but people are not any more interesting than they ever were. It's like a grass-roots Big Brother initiative. And now people like me will have our privacy violated, just because we emailed someone who happened to sign up for facebook down the road? Some of my email "contacts" are definitely on there.. do I have to burn bridges with all of my friends and only hang out with other "resistance members" from now on? I hope Germany sticks it to 'em, and I hope they get worse coming to them down the line. Buncha attention-starved gossips with nothing real going on, I tells ya. Get off my lawn.

I couldn't agree more! I used to have a Myspace...closed after a week -__- my friends convinced me to get a bebo...that has now since closed. I seriously don't see the point. If I need to contact my friends, I have the mobile numbers. Germany...rip Facebook to shreads!

 

[ZephrC]

Frankly, and I hate to say this because I hate the stupid site, but frankly, I'm with Facebook on this one. I'm sorry, but people just need to relax about this stupid shit. If you don't want everyone to know something about you, don't say it in public. If you don't want someone to see a picture of you, don't let people you don't trust take pictures of you.

The internet, your workplace, even over at a friends house, it's all public. The internet is public. I'm sorry, but I don't give a shit about anyone's 'right' to go around controlling every acquaintance's use of their pictures. If they snuck into your house to take the picture without your permission, okay fine, that's not cool. But if you got your picture taken in public, I'm sorry to be the one to have to inform you, but that's public. You don't have the right to demand that everyone deny your existence. That's stupid.

 

[Chrinik]

Well that´s hardly the issue of Facebook, isn´t it?
What, should Facebook adapt a Scanning software that scanns for multiple faced on Photos and asks you to name the Facebook members on that picture, or else it won´t get uploaded?

That´s why I don´t register with my REAL NAME to ANY SITE, EVER!
Sure, they can mock Chrinik from "somewhere, Europe" all day long if they want, he can go offline forever, but if some prick posts my real name and or other personal information onto some picture to mock me, now THATS a privacy issue...

I can´t understand how 95% of facebook users, seem to use their full name for their profiles anyway.

 

[Chrinik]

You don't have the right to demand that everyone deny your existence. That's stupid.

You don´t have that right...
But atleast in Germany, every person in a picture or other form of media, has to be asked if they give consent to public use of that picture...if they are not asked or deny it, they have to be blurred out.

 

[Technocrat]

"There are much stronger privacy laws in Europe than here, where privacy is viewed as a consumer protection issue as opposed to a fundamental human right,"


Doesn't Europe have cameras on every freaking street corner?

Not cameras run for profit-motives by a private company, though!

 

[PurpleSkull]

What a Stick-in-the-arse retarded Scheme. If you don't do Illegal or embarressing shit, you don't have to worry about details posted on the internet. That alone is what German officials bothers them. Pissing off Facebook is just the first step, as said in this thread already: There are numerous other platforms on which you can share some Information about other people. Wikipedia, Youtube, SchülerVZ are 3 i can recount without thinking.

If Facebook is really that bad, then the general population should do something about it (like, not using it). Not the politicians.

I'm German by the way. You know what happens if these guys succeed? France and other European countries will try to do it too. And if enough European countries get away with that, the American Government will seize the chance to censor the Internet a bit more with the excuse "But look at Europe, they did it too!".

If someone complains about his private data being posted, always ask "Why does he care, what does he hide".

 

[Enkidu88]

When I first signed up for facebook on the list of people I might know were two ex-girlfriends and an ex-boss (whom I hadn't parted on the best of terms with). I still have no idea how the hell it manage to link me to those people, was actually thinking of suing them myself since I'd love to know how they did it and only legal Discovery would probably allow me to see for myself.

I avoided social networking sites like the plague, but if you want to become a writer its a great way to get your work exposed to a ton of people. Opens up the probability of plagarism, but it's a great way to get noticed.

 

[Wieke]

If someone complains about his private data being posted, always ask "Why does he care, what does he hide".

The more people know of you, the more power they have over you. It might seem pretty safe and innocent at the moment, but situations change. And before you know it people could be using that information in ways you didn't anticipated and don't much appreciate. Once you made private information public, its very hard to return it to the private domain. And only you have the right to bring such information about yourself to the public.

We all know that personal information has the potential to be abused (think identity theft, etc). Privacy is the first line of defence against this. So please, don't give it up lightly.